Tractor



Dec. 2, 1941, M; v, WOLRAB 2,264,924

TRACTOR Filed April 19, 1959 es 6? 69 I6 64 :5 43 A? m a/ 82 43 IN VENTOR. I /7/. .0 11mm;

' ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 2, 1941 PATENT OFFICE TRACTOR Milo V. Wolrab,Mount Vernon, Iowa Application April 19, 1939, Serial No. 268,685

12 Claims.

This invention relates to tractors and particularly to improvements inthe construction of front axles for tractors.

The two general types of tractors in common use, namely the conventionaltype with widely spaced front wheels, and the row crop type, each havetheir limitations as well as their respective merits and particularuses.

The conventional type of tractor is not very made therein as fall withinthe scope of the V practical for cultivating row crops such as corn,since the front axle is high enough to clear the crop only while it isveryyoung. Before crops such as corn are ready to be laid by," thestalks are already too high to pass under the front axle of theconventional tractor and the use of such a tractor merely bends over orbreaks the young stalks. I

The row crop tractor, on the other hand, has both front wheels solocated that they both pass between the adjacent rows.

The row crop tractor, however, is generally .not very suitable forordinary plowing since one of the wheels generally rides on the outsideof the furrow, making it hard to handle. Furthermore, when a row croptractor is used in soft or wet ground, dirt tends to ball up on thewheels and clogs between the wheels and the frame. There is ordinarilynot a great amount of clearance between the wheels and the frame on sucha tractor.

The widely spaced front wheels on the conventional type of tractorpermit the front wheels to follow along in the furrows, making themachine considerably easier to handle as well as making it practicallyimpossible to clog the front wheels. This type of tractor is alsogenerally more suitable for belt work since the Widely spaced frontwheels do not tend to slip and misalign the belt.

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the invention to providea structure having the advantages of both the conventional and the rowcrop type of tractors.

, It is another object of my invention to provide an interchangeabletype of structure that may be used on the row crop type of tractorgenerally in use to convert it for use as a conventional type oftractor.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a device 'of this typewhich can be very quickly and easily mounted in place or removed.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide means forcontrolling or steering such a device through the regular steeringmechas a conventional type or a row crop type of tractor.

Other and further features and objects of the invention will be moreapparent to those 5 skilled in the art upon a consideration of theaccompanying drawing and following specifications, wherein are disclosedseveral exemplary embodiments of the invention, with the understanding,however, that such changes may be l5 of a portion of a tractor showing,in particular, the construction of and method of mounting a front axleconstructed in accordance with one embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a partial view in perspective of the front end of thetractor illustrated in Figure 1 but as viewed from. a different angle.

Figure 3 illustrates a modified method of mounting the front axle uponthe tractor.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a device constructed in accordance withanother embodiment of my invention.

Figure 5 is a broken-away view in elevation illustrating a modifiedmethod of demountably attaching the wish bone of my structure to 3 theunder body of the tractor, and

Figure 6 is a View in perspective of an axle pivot mounting means asconstructed inaccordance with one embodiment of my invention.

Referring now to the drawing, and to Figures 1 and 2m particular; theusual row crop type of tractor, the chassis of which is indicatedgenerally at I 0, is ordinarily equipped with a front supporting columnI I in which a vertical steering shaft I 2 (not shown in Figure 1) isrotatably mounted. This steering shaft is ordinarily rotated by means ofa worm and gear drive as shown at I3 in Figure 3. A wheel supportingstructure l4 having two spindles l6 extending laterally therefrom ismounted on the lower end of the steering column l2. Wheels havingtapered bearings are mounted upon these spindles and held in place bymeans of nuts and cotter keys or the like.

When adapting such a row crop type of tractor for use as a conventionaltype tractor with a structure built in accordance with my invention,these wheels are of course removed from.the spindles l6.

My invention includes an axle preferably of a anism when the tractor isadapted for use either sh pe as indicated generally at 2] having shortstraight sections or portions 22 near the outer ends thereof and anarched section 23 near the center. The axle is adapted to be pivotallysupported on a pin extending through the very center thereof and clampedin place against the front supporting post i i. The clamp adapted topivotally support the axle on the front post II is indicated generallyat 25 and shown in detail in Figure 6. The bracket is preferably in theform of a heavy draw band in two parts 28 and 21, each having lugs orears as at 28 and 29. These ears have openings as shown at 3| to receivedraw bolts 32 and nuts to permit the device to be tightly clamped aboutthe post II. A

The front axle is of course provided with wheel spindles suitablysupported for turning movement on spindle bolts or pins in accordancewith usual practice, and as shown at 55.

The two wheel'spindles are tied together by a 75 tie rod 56 which ispivotally connected as at 81 and 58 to arms 59 and $1 extendingrearwardly from the wheel spindles.

An auxiliary steering arm 62 is alsoattached to one of the wheelspindles and is adapted to be moved by means of a link 63 which isconnected by means of a pivotal or universal Joint, as at 64, to the arm62. The link 63 is pivotally attached at a point 66 to a lever arm 61.This arm is demountably attached to the member l4 which is ordinarilyused for supporting the wheels in a row crop type of tractor.

The arm 81 is formed so as to extend directly to the rear of thesupporting column when the U-shaped strap member is welded or otherwise5 spindles I6 extend at right angles to the frame fastened to the centerportion of one of the parts of the tractor. A sleeve member 68 welded orof the draw band, as shown at 34. .11 pin 36 is otherwise fastened tothe bottom of the arm 81 is inserted throughan opening 31 through boththe adapted to be received over one of the wheel draw band and theU-shaped strap. The pin is spindles 16 upon which it is held rigidly inplace preferably received at its outer end in a recess 38 20 by means ofa nut and collar indicated at E9. in the other leg of the U-shaped strapmember. The outermost end of the arm 61 is preferably The device isinstalled on the tractor by placformed as at 61a to extend downwardlybelow ing the U-shaped member 33 over the center porthe steering postl2. The end of this portion 610 tion of the axle and inserting the pin36 through of the arm is supplied with an opening 10 to perthe openingprovided and through an opening 24 25 mil; it to be received on thesteering post 12 and in the center of the axle. The draw band is then beheld in place bymeans of the nut I20 at the installed about the post andheld tightly in place bottom of the post. by the bolts 32. The pin 36will not fall out as The method of using this front axle structure longas the band is held in place on the post. is both simple and apparent.The front wheels With this construction, the axle is perfectly 3o of'therow crop tractor are removed, the wheels free to pivot about thesupporting pin and thus being placed on the spindles at the ends of thepermits the front wheels to ride on a steep angle, auxiliary axle. Theaxle supporting clamp 25, that is, one considerably higher than theother, after being pinned to the axle, is clamped about withoutaffecting the stability of the tractor. the upright post ll of thetractor and the collar I may provide a plurality of leaf springs to 3544 of the wishbone is dropped into place in the reduce to some extentthe perfect freedom for U-shaped member 49 and held in place by meanspivotal movement had by a construction as deof the pin 5!. The steeringarm 61 is then rigidly scribed. These leaf springs may be attached byattached to the lower end of the steering post as means such as a bolt33a extending through an described. opening in the center of the springleaf and an 4,0 This construction permits the steering appaopening 33bin the 'U member 33. The outer ratus of an auxiliary front axle, such asI have ends of the leaf springs bear against the top sur described, tobe operated directly through the face of the arch of the axle. Since thesprings ordinary steering apparatus of the tr t are held in fixedrelation to the post ll they tend Such a structure as I have disclosedmakes it to resist the pivotal movement of the axle and possible tointerchange one type of front wheel absorb shocks. structure for anothertype with a minimum of The axle is reinforced by means of a wishboneeffort and loss of time. indicated generally at 40, which holds the axleI have illustrated in Figure 3 a modified form at right angles to themain frame of the vehicle. of a structure for supporting a front axleupon The wishbone also takes up the twisting strains 50 the uprightcolumn II. The column is provided which would otherwise be borne by thepin 36. with a boss Ila extending either to the rear or to The wishboneincludes two rods 4| and 42 atthe front thereof. This boss and thecolumn tached by bolts as at 43 to the axle near its outer is bored, asat H, to receive a pin 12, the pin beends. These rods extend rearwardly,converging ing locked in place by means such as a key or one toward theother, and terminate in a collar tapered pin 13, h front axle isreceived v 44. An opening 46 extending through this collar the pin 12 inthe same manner as it is received is preferably made substantially inalignment on the pin 36 of the structure shown in Figure 6, with thefront axle supporting pin 36. and may be held in place on the pin bymeans A strap member 41 supported from the main of a cotter key andwasher I4. 7 frame of the tractor, as at 48, has a U-shaped The rowcropper front wheel supporting memmember 49 attached to it at a pointbelow the her I4 may be provided with a boss or lip 16 excenter of thevehicle. The member 49 may be tending rearwardly therefrom to permit theattached to the strap member by welding or any steering arm 61 to beattached directly to the other suitable means. wheel supporting headrather than n o of t g The collar 44 of the wishbone is received with-65 wheel spindles. The steering arm shown in in the U-shaped member, anda pin or bolt 5| Figure 3 is attached at one end to the steeringinserted through an opening extending through post I! by means of a nut[2a in the same manboth sides of the Umember and also through the ner asthe modification shown in Figure 1. Th collar itself. A nut or a cotterkey, as shown at steering arm .is then, however, bent to conform 52,serves to hold the pin'in its position. with the lower surface of thewheel supporting head 14 and attached as at 18 by means of a boltpassing through holes in the lip 18 and in the arm.

The front axle may also be formed as shown v in Figure 4. In thismodification the axle is It is convenient to permit a considerableamount of movement in this part, but it is also desirable that themovement be limited. The curved portion 82 of the axle will come torestagainst the upper portion of the front supporting post II when the axlehas been tilted to a considerable l6 extent and thus tends to preventthe over-burdening of the front end. I

A modified form of structure for supporting the rear end of the wishboneis shown in Figure 5. Lugs, or projections 86 and 81 may be formedintegral withthe lower surface of the tractor, as for instance thetransmission case, the collar 44 of the wishbone being adapted to beslid upwardly between the depending projections. A pin or bolt 88 isinserted through openings 89 andv 8| level as the wheel spindles of therow-crop strucin the projections and through the opening 46 in thecollar member, t thus support the rear end of the wishbone in its properposition and yet permit pivotal movement. Pin 88 may be held in place byany suitable means such as the cotter pin and washer 92.

It is considered within the scope of this invention to provide the frontaxle with leaf spring supporting members. This may be done by attachingthe ends of theleaf springs to spring Although I have described severalspecific embodiments of my invention, it is apparent that modificationsthereof may be madeby those skilled in the art. Such modifications maybe made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention asset forth claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a tractor having a single wheel-supporting post at the forward endthereof, a means for supporting an auxiliary axle comprising a boss castintegral with the supporting post and extending longitudinally of thetractor, a pivot pin received in an opening in the boss, and other meansfor retaining the pivot pin in the bore,

in the appended wheel supporting post of the tractor comprising a drawband adapted to be clamped about the supporting post, a U-shaped strapmember attached to the draw band, the draw band and the U-shaped memberhaving openings therethrough to permit the pivot pin to be insertedbefore the band is clamped about the supporting post.

4. For use in a tractor of the row crop type having a single, frontwheel supporting post, an auxiliary axle curved outwardly at the centerthereof, and means for pivotally mounting the axle at the center thereofon the supporting post of the tractor, said curved portion of the axleadapted to partially encircle the post, the ends of the curved portionadapted to come to rest against the supporting post when the axle is thehorizontal plane of the wheel spindles in the conversion structure is atsubstantially the same ture, and whereby the pivotal point of attachmentof the axle to the pedestal is well above the horizontal plane passingthrough the spindles and the axle is rotated at a position well up onthe pedestal to thus afford greatest strength to the mounting andstability to the tractor, and means for steering of the conversionstructure including an arm and a collar adapted to be engaged on one ofthe wheel spindles of the rowcrop structure.

6. In a tractor having a front wheel pedestal and means including wheelspindles mounted at the base of the pedestal for steering the tractor,an auxiliary wheel axle with wheel spindles at the endsthereof, meansfor pivotally mounting said axle near the forward end of the tractor,and means for controlling the wheel spindles on the axle, saidcontrolling means including an arm on at least one of the spindles, asecond arm, link means for connecting the second arm to the arm on thewheel spindle on the axle, means comprising part of the second arm andhaving an opening therethrough engageable over at 0 least one of thespindles at the base of the pedthe axle having an opening through thecenter thereof adapted to fit over the pivot pin, and means to hold theaxle in place on the pin.

2. For use in a row crop type of tractor having a single forwardsupporting post, a steering shaft therein, and a wheel supporting headat the lower end thereof, an auxiliary steering arm, means for mountingsame on the wheel supporting head comprising a lug extending rearwardlyfrom the wheel supporting head, and a bolt passing through an opening inthe lug and through 6 supporting the pivot pin in fixed relation to thetal, a portion of the steering arm having an opening therethroughadapted to be received over one of the wheel spindles at the bottom ofthe pedestal, and a laterally projecting extension of the steering armhaving an opening therethrough adapted to be received over the bottomend of the steering shaft.

8; For use in a row crop tractor having a front wheel pedestal, meansfor supporting an auxiliary axle comprising a pivot pin adapted forinsertion through a hole in the axle, a U

shaped strap member adapted to be received over the axle and having anopening in at least one leg thereof for receiving the pivot pin, meansfor demountably clamping the U shaped strap member to the front wheelpedestal, and means for retaining the pivot pin in position in theopenings in the U shaped strap and the axle.

9. In a means for converting a row crop tractor having a front wheelpedestal to a conventional tractor, an axle having wheel spindles, theends of the axle adjacent the wheel spindles being substantiallystraight and in line with each other,

the central portion of the axle being upwardly' arched, and means forpivotally mounting the arched portion of the axle on the front wheelpedestal at a point intermediate the length of and on the side of thepedestal, whereby the horizontal plane of the wheel spindles in theconversion structure is at substantially the same level as the wheelspindles of the row crop structure, and whereby the pivotal point ofattachment of the axle to the pedestal is well above for pivotallyengaging the central portion of the arched axle to the pedestal at apoint intermediate its length comprising a pivot secured to the side ofthe pedestal, whereby the horizontal plane of the wheel spindles andconversion structure is of substantially the same level as the wheelspindles of the row crop structure, and whereby the pivotal point ofattachment of the axle to the pedestal is well above the horizontalplane passing through the spindles and the axle is pivoted at a positionwell up on the pedestal to thus afford greater strength to the mountingand greater stability to the tractor.

11. In a conversion axle structure for row crop tractors having apedestal column for the support of the tractor on the conventional rowcrop front wheels, an arched front axle, and means pivotally securingthe front axle on the side of the pedestal column at a pointintermediate its length, whereby the arch of the axle locates the wheelsin substantially the same horizontal plane the row crop front wheelsoccupied and yet pivotally attaches the axle to the'column at a pointwell up on the column so that the row crop steering mechanism may befree for use in steering s v 12. In a conversion axle structure for rowcrop tractors having a pedestal column for the support of the tractor onthe conventional row crop front wheels, an arched front axle, and meanspivotally securing the front axle on the side of the pedestal column ata point intermediate its length, whereby the-arch of the axle locatesthe wheels in substantially the same horizontal plane the row crop frontwheels occupied and yet pivotally attaches the axle to the column at apoint well up on the column so that the row crop steering mechanism maybe free for use in steering,

and means including arms and a link for em ploying the spindles of therow crop steering wheels for steering the conversion wheels.

MILO V. WOLRAB.

